Game



G. A. WIGGINS.

GAME. APPLICATION H LED AUG.2B, 1920.

Patented June 7, 1921.

UNITED f s-'m'res GEORGE A. WIGGINS, 0F HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

PATENT OFFICE.

GAME.

supported in a frame and having a plurality of pockets spaced at intervals along its course, said pockets beingi'laterally offset from the runway toward the center, gate are rangements along the runway, and meansfor imparting motion to aball adapted to travel along the runway. I s The invention has for its obj ect to provide a game whereby the participants therein endeavor to dispose a ball in a predeter mined pocket, being one of a spaced plurality thereof along a spiral runway, by their skill in imparting the correct pressure in effecting a contact with a body against the ball.

This, together with other objects, may be attained by the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts as will be .hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

ln referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a top view of the new game;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detailed side elevation of the ball starting mechanism;

Fig. t is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed cross-sectional view of the runway and one of the pockets;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary view of the runway shown partly broken away illustrating one of the pockets and gates;

Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. 8; and,

Fig. 8 is a top view of Fig. et.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The spiral runway is indicated by the letter A in the drawing, and is communicative at its lowermost termination with a tunnel member B which leads off at a tangent and in turn communicates with the compartment C containing the ball starting mechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 7, 1921.

Application filed August 28, 1920. Serial No. 406,609.

The runway proper is supported by a suitable frame structure D which is provided with base plates 2 affording stability to the device and containing holes through which bolts may be passable to secure'into the floor, and the like. wise facilitated` by the provision of laterally extending lugs 4 having bolt holes. The tunnel member B is retained in Xed relation by the medium of its connections with the aforementioned parts.

The compartment C is like- Y Closing the uppermost end and termina- Y tionof the runway A is a pocket 5 to receive a Aball when it has finished its course along the runway. A plurality of similar pockets 6 are spaced at intervals along-the inner wall of the runway and communicate therewith, but not so situated as to receive the ball when it is traveling with more than a very low degree of velocity. The said vpoclr ets may bemade of non-yieldable material if so desired, but they are preferably flexible material such as fabric or netting, and they are so shown in the drawing.

Positioned transversely of the runway and disposed immediately adjacent to the near entrances to the pockets 6, are a plurality of one-way gates 7 hingedly secured to the top part of the runway, as shown in Figs. 5 and G. rihe said gates are greater in depth than that of the runway and consequently engage the bottom thereof in an angular position, shown in Fig. G, thus affording passage for the ball on its upward course, but preventing its lreturn past the respective pocket 6. It will therefore be perceived that if the ball passes one gate, but its velocity fails to carry it past the next gate, it will return to the former and drop into the respective pocket.

The mechanism for the purpose of imparting motion to the ball which is indicated by E, and is in position upon a tee 8 for starting, comprises a plunger 9 horizontally slidable through the end wall of the compartment C and a cross-member 10 therein, and provided with a head l1 for engaging the ball. A spiral push spring 12 is tted around the plunger between the cross-memberlO and a pin 13, for the purpose of returning the plunger to normal position subsequently to its being struck with a mallet and the rearwall of the compartment C, as in Figs. 4 and 8. In this modication of the device, it is preferable to provide a suitable handle 14 and cross piece 15 on the outer end of the plunger..

The object of the game will be to start and reach the rst pocket, then the second, and so on until the pockets have each received a ball, the player who lls each pocket in succession with the least number or strokes wins over his opponents.

Having now completely described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2# 1. In a game apparatus of the class described, the combination with a spiral runway, of a plurality of pockets spaced at intervals alongsaid runway and communicative therewith, a ball adapted to travel saidrunway in an upward direction, a plurality of one-way gates pivotally suspended in'said runway adjacent to said pockets and normally closed by gravitational control, means topermit said gates to yield toy the Vforce of said ball when driven upwardly and to resist itk oni return, a ball starting compartment member tangentially communicative with said runway at its lower termi-` nation, a tee in. said compartment having the-ball mounted thereupon, and a plunger by an instrument to impart momentum to vthe ball, and a spring for returning said plunger to normal position.

2.V In a game apparatus of the class described, the combination with a spiral runway, of a plurality of pockets spaced along said runway and communicative therewith, a ball adapted to travel said runway in an upward direction, a plurality of one-way gates pivotally suspended in said runway rearwardly adjacent to said pockets and engagingthe bottom of the runway by gravitational control inan angular position to yield to the force of the ball when driven upwardly and to resist it on return, a ball starting compartment member tangentially communicative with said runway at its lower termination, a tee in said compartment having the ball mounted thereupon, and a plunger alined with said tee and adapted to be struck by an instrument to impart momentum to the ball, and a spring orreturning said plunger to normal posif tion.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature. Y

GEORGE A. WIGGINS. Y Witness H. Gr. HENDRY. p

alined'with said tee and adapted to be struck 

